Welcome! I'm so glad you are here! The Inspired Room was recently voted 2014 Readers' Favorite Decorating Blog by Better Homes & Garden's magazine! I love sharing simple decorating and organizing ideas to inspire you to love the home you have. For more inspiration, visit the inspiration galleries, the popular How to Decorate series and my own House Tour!

Be sure to subscribe for free to The Inspired Room! You'll receive new updates via your email inbox so you'll never miss a post! Thanks so much for stopping by today!

As we’ve looked around at houses over in Seattle (in preparation for our move), one thing is pretty clear. In our price range in a hot market like Seattle, we’ll likely end up with a house that will need a little TLC. Windows seem to be the thing many older houses need, or if they don’t need replacement windows, they could really use to be opened up with brand new patio doors or more windows to bring in additional light.

My mom has remodeled many beautiful houses and I always remember her advice: whether you are building new or remodeling an older house, one of the best investments you can make is to add more windows. I know it to be true, I have added french doors to several of our homes and it really did transform the look and feel of the home. So I keep that in mind as I house-hunt. Instead of feeling discouraged by the lack of light or view of a backyard, I think MUST ADD WINDOWS and DOORS! I am really looking forward to the day I can put that great advice to good use in our next house.

I was recently approached by Marvin Windows with a virtual design challenge and I thought it would be fun to take them up on it! I love dreaming of rooms so this is fun for “housey” people. If they asked me to dream up and design something like a space rocket or a medical testing machine, rest assured I probably would’ve declined the offer. (You are welcome.) Fortunately, that’s not my assignment. Here’s what they asked: could I envision a room that would be transformed by the addition of a new window or door? And if so, could I design a mood board around my vision for the room? YES! And YES. Absolutely.

The first room that came to mind is one I see all the time in the houses I’ve looked at. So many homes have dark little kitchens or dining areas. They often lack personality and connection to the outdoors. So, I always think to myself, wouldn’t this room be better if it had gorgeous french doors to jazz up the architecture, allow the light flood in and to frame a pretty view of the backyard? I dream of that scenario happening in real life! Wouldn’t that be a fun project?

I mean, look at the windows in those rooms above! Can you imagine how different the same rooms would feel with little windows? So my vision for this virtual project was to transform a typical uninviting, formerly dark eating area into a light-filled charming breakfast room with the addition of beautiful arched double French doors with leaded glass window panes. I die. Wouldn’t those doors be AMAZING? I think French doors are so beautiful, but that double door with an arch is stunning.

Now imagine swinging those beautiful doors open to the backyard or a pretty courtyard. Maybe there would be a striking striped awning over the door! Or a pergola! And now just picture sitting there at that beautiful round wood table, eating your meal, quietly gazing outside at a brick or stone patio lined with blooming flowers and round boxwoods. There might even be little string lights right outside your door. Dreamy, right? That’s what I’m talking about–creating your own little dream space with a set of doors!

These doors are like miracle workers. They will let light flood into the space, add charming character to the room and expand your living area with a new view, without adding a single square foot. Your room would be stunning even without furnishing it (which is always a perfect scenario), but imagine adding a beautiful rug, a wonderful round table to echo the shape of the arched doors, comfortable chairs and statement lighting? You’d have a beautiful room to enjoy.

If I lived here, I would love driving down that driveway everyday. Isn't the house pretty? It is so stately and gorgeous, without being overly pretentious. It's like a grand family home. I really love all the details and craftsmanship. Take a look … ** Read more **

This post created in sponsorship with Leesa.
Mattresses are a sensitive subject around our house. My husband and I have slept on the same mattress for I don't know how long. (I mean, not only have we slept on THE SAME mattress as each other cause we … ** Read more **

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6
Hello there, it's Courtney! So, I have a thing for funny animals. I love them in real life (except for sloths, never sloths), but I also love them in patterns and decor for the home. I also love them when they wear … ** Read more **

House and Home
As we've been looking at houses for our move soon to the Seattle area, we always dream up how we would put our own stamp of style into each house we like. Sometimes we envision a little bit different layout than what is currently … ** Read more **

One of the things I'm pretty excited for in my move is my ability to do more drive-bys for you guys. Remember how I used to do those periodically? Yeah, way back then? Well, it was a lot easier to find a lot to show you when I lived in Portland. But … ** Read more **